Book Description

He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St Giles, Godric St John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head - and realises she is his wife . . .

Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St Giles - the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognise the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St Giles is everything she feared he would be - and so much more . . .

When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth - that the Ghost is her husband - the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

The fifth novel in Elizabeth Hoyt's sensuous, New York Times bestselling, Georgian Maiden Lane series

He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St Giles, Godric St John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head - and realises she is his wife . . .

Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St Giles - the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognise the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St Giles is everything she feared he would be - and so much more . . .

When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth - that the Ghost is her husband - the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

The fifth novel in Elizabeth Hoyt's sensuous, New York Times bestselling, Georgian Maiden Lane series

Product Description

Review

Hoyt has made Maiden Lane a place where danger and desire merge and legend, love, fairy tale and classic romance all seamlessly blend together. Lord of Darkness further illuminates Hoyt's boundless imagination, and readers will adore this story like all the others - each one unique and nothing short of enchantment (RT Book Reviews)

Book Description

From New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt comes the fifth thrilling title of danger, desire, and dark passions from her sensual Georgian Maiden Lane series

REVIEW: Lord of Darkness is the fifth storyline in Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series and although I highly recommend reading in order, Lord of Darkness can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty. The characters were first introduced in book one Wicked Intentions and their storyline has been building in each successive novel. The premise focuses on Lady Margaret Reading (who two years earlier) was forced into a marriage of convenience to Godric St. John when, her lover and father of her unborn child, was murdered by the Ghost of St. Giles. Fast-forward two years, Margaret lost her child within days of her wedding to Godric and has not seen the man in the ensuing years. But the time has come when Margaret wants a child and the only man available is her forgotten husband who sits alone pining for his long dead first wife.

There are several secondary characters throughout the storyline and many had been introduced in previous books. But Elizabeth brings together several additional members from both sides of the family as well as friends and neighbors with stories yet to be told. The secretive Ghost of St. Giles plays a prominent role throughout and it is Margaret's amazing acceptance of his true identity that leads her to believe that she has been mistaken about her husband's intentions all along.

Again, throughout the building of their relationship, Margaret and Godric must overcome the ghosts from each of their pasts. Margaret has for so long kept her deceased lover on a pedestal that no man could possibly do any better and the memory Godric's long suffering dead wife has forced the man into a secret life in the dark streets saving women and children from unseen evil. As the relationship between Margaret and Godric builds, so too does the danger for Godric as he forces himself to discover the truth behind the murder of Margaret's first love and in doing so, hopes to open Margaret's heart to the possibility that there is more to their relationship than a marriage of convenience.

I had a couple issues of spelling and context in the novel. At one point, names are interchanged and in doing so, Margaret is married to her brother ;) These are issues of editing and proof reading that should have been caught.

Overall, Lord of Darkness is a sweet, wonderful romantic storyline where you know the two lead characters are right for each other. When the ghosts from the past keep Margaret and Godric from opening their hearts and their minds to the possibility that love can be found a second time around the sexual tension between the couple is both welcome and acknowledged. There was never any doubt that Margaret and Godric were meant to fall in love.

A really enjoyable addtion to the series. There has been a steady build up to this romance and Elizabeth Hoyt has not dissapointed her fans. The romance between Ghost of St Giles, Godric St John's and Laydy Margaret Reading is complex and powerful. There are many twists and turns to their story,which keep the reader hooked. The sexual vibe between the two is captivating, as it the way that they face the dangers the at threaten them both. If you have'nt read this author then I would recommend that you start at the beginning of the Maiden Lane series.

The First Elizabeth Hoyt book I read was To Taste Temptation part of her Legend of the 4 Soldiers Series and fell in love with her writing style. She's a wonderful author and I urge anyone who has not read her books to give them a go they will not disappoint anyone who loves the genre.This is the story Godric St John a Ghost of St Giles and his Wife Lady Margaret. To anyone just reading an Elizabeth Hoyt and choosing this book as their first I urge you to stop and read the 1st book in the series although the book can stand alone it is much better having read the 1st 4 in the series. But I digress... This is the story of Godric and Margaret and their courtship after their marriage. The couple had been forced/Blackmailed to wed by Lady Margaret’s older Brother Griffin (This event happens in the 2nd book of the series Notorious Pleasures) Both our hero and heroine had suffered the loss of love Godric’s 1st wife had dies due to a debilitating disease and Margaret’s true love and father of her unborn child had dies at the hands of the Ghost of ST Giles. Lady Margaret after the wedding retires to the country to live with Godric’s fathers 2nd Family and have her child however not long after she miscarries. Lady Margaret recovered from the loss of child and lover has decided that she wants to be a parent and returns to London with her young Sister in-law Sarah to seduce her reluctant husband and seek revenge on the Ghost of St Giles.The couple reunite but not in the traditional sense as lady Margaret does not realise that the man she holds at Gunpoint is her husband for he is the Ghost of St Giles or at least one of them! And Godric upon realising that it is his wife that holds him at gunpoint wonders why she has returned to London. So starts a game of hide and seek tinged with danger and lies as Godric saves his wife from the thugs of ST Giles and avoids the dragoons chasing him along with his wife’s relentless pursuit of him for revenge all the while saving the innocents of St Giles from the Lassie Snatchers and his attempts to keep his true self hidden from his wife and the passion she has evoked in her attempts to get with child. Lady Margaret stumbles on the truth that the killer of her lover was not the Ghost of St Giles and begins a search for his true killer with the aid of her deceased lovers best friend which angers her husband as the friend has a rather rakish character causing him to take over the investigation to find the murderer as he has connections in ST Giles and as the Ghost can reach much more unsavoury characters. Throughout the book we meet and are updated with other characters both heroes and heroines and secondary characters from previous books in the series. Altogether an excellent read.Read more ›

3.5 stars! I"ve read all this series and enjoyed them greatly - Ms Hoyt manages to avoid many of the usual historical romance clichés and norms, and her sex scenes have an earthy carnality that read well!

However, I really didn't take to Meg - she's decided she wants a baby so turns up expecting her husband-of-convenience to do the deed. She's never wondered why he married her when she was pregnant by another man, or bothered to find out anything about him. She sort of assumes he's old - which he isn't, and turns up planning to seduce herself pregnant - not talk to the man and try to see where this sterile marriage of theirs might go. She wants a baby and that seems to trump everything else.

So I didn't like her. and initially wanted Godric to tell her to take her thoughtless, selfish little self back to the country and leave him be. But he doesn't, she improves, and... well, read book to find out!

I enjoyed the secondary characters, - the thwarted dragoon, the intelligent companion, the ghastly heiress... I'll read on with the series because I rate Ms Hoyt as a writer, but for me this is my least preferred. Oh, and while I'm griping, the Ghost concept is taking over. The first 2 or even 3 of these books had the Ghost playing a minor role - now we've had 2, and I think the next one is also based around the Ghost. All fine and fair, but there's limit to how many death defying escapes across roof tops and speedy recoveries from broken bones and sword slashes I'm willing to read about. It's all getting a bit Superman or Batman - except that here we have Harlequin Man!